Ghostly Love
by inukagome15
Summary: Continuation of "Star Shot #53" by Cordria. Maddie has been captured by a mysterious ghost along with Jack, Phantom, and Sam. While with Phantom and Sam, she notices something odd. Phantom couldn't be...in love with Sam?
1. Chapter 1

**I adopted this story from _Cordria_, since I commented on the chapter and she offered that I could continue it. This first chapter is the original as written by _Cordria_. The rest is a continuation of Star Shot #53. Don't be surprised by the complete change in writing style. I had _Cordria _read everything first and she liked it so I'm posting it as I wrote it with small edits for typos and whatnot.**

**Don't forget. This is the original chapter as written by _Cordria._ But if you want to see the original in all its glory, I recommend going to read it on her own account.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Danny Phantom_ or the plotline of Ghostly Love. That honor belongs to _Cordria._**

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**Ghostly Love  
**

**Chapter 1**

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The door creaked open, jerking Maddie Fenton out of her quiet musings. Three ghosts stomped into the small room—a lithe, white-haired figure suspended unconsciously between two larger ghosts—and came up to the cage door. With some dark mutterings and more than a little swearing, the two larger ghosts managed to yank open the cage and toss Phantom into the cage. They slammed the door shut and stormed out of the room, laughing and punching each other's arms.

Sam was at Phantom's side before he had even rolled to a complete stop. She knelt down next to him and ran her hands over his face, whispering to him. Eyes closed, Phantom didn't appear to hear her at all. Maddie shook her head in vague surprise—she knew that most of the girls had some sort of crush on the ghost, but she hadn't figured a girl as solidly grounded as Sam would fall as well. Didn't she realize how dangerous the ghost was? What if he woke up and reacted before he figured out that it was a human girl kneeling over him?

Maddie pushed herself to her feet and glanced over at her husband. Jack was flickering glances at the girl and the ghost boy, a confused look on his face. "Sam," she said softly. Taking a few steps, Maddie put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Sam."

"He'll be fine," Sam said sharply.

"Sam, he's dangerous. You should get away from him."

The girl looked up at her, violet eyes sparkling. "Danny's not _dangerous_! He's a hero!"

Maddie bit back a sigh and tried to make her expression understanding. "Yes, but he's unpredictable. He might hurt you and not realize it until it's too late."

Sam looked back down at Phantom. "He wouldn't ever hurt me," she whispered forcefully.

"Not on purpose." Maddie pulled the girl to her feet. "Let him wake up before you get too close."

Sam shook her head, jerking her arm out of Maddie's grasp. "No. I'm not leaving him."

Maddie opened her mouth to argue some more, but Phantom groaned at that moment. His head rolled to the side a few times, then his electric eyes flew open and he jerked to a sitting position. Maddie stumbled back a few steps as he scanned the small cell, his gaze flickering from person to person for a quiet heartbeat. Then he moaned and collapsed back down onto the ground, his hand coming up to massage his head as his eyes closed again. "What hit me," he muttered.

Sending one last glare in Maddie's direction, Sam dropped back down into a crouch. "We got kidnapped."

Phantom murmured something that sounded strangely like "Again?" and his eyes drifted open. "Any idea who it was?"

Sam shook her head. "You okay?" At Phantom's annoyed look, she grinned and said, "Sorry, standard question."

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Phantom pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Good," Sam said, her eyes narrowing. "Then I won't feel so sorry for this." Her hand came back and clenched into a fist.

Maddie watched in horror as Sam punched the ghost in the shoulder. Didn't she realize how dangerous that ghost was? Maddie took a reflexive step forwards to grab the girl, but Phantom moved faster than her. His eyes flared and he leaned forwards, his nose inches from Sam's. "What was that for?" he snapped.

Maddie froze, unwilling to break the impossible tension that existed between the girl and the ghost. With the intense energy that was zapping through him, there was no doubt at all in her mind that he could destroy Sam without a second thought.

"_That_," Sam hissed back, her violet eyes gazing into his without fear, "was for ignoring everything we've been working on for a month!"

"What?" Maddie whispered as Phantom said the same thing, only a lot louder. Maddie shook her head dazedly and turned her gaze to Jack for a second, looking for some sort of support. Sam and Phantom had been working together for at least a month? Jack was still staring at the two of them in confusion. Didn't she realize how dangerous the ghost was?

"What?" Sam parroted, her hand coming up to poke Phantom's chest. "_Thinking_, Danny. Planning. Seeing an _obvious trap_ when it slaps you in the face."

Phantom's eyes lost quite a bit of their glow. He looked a little hurt, maybe. Maddie slid over to Jack and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"What did you think this was going to be, huh? They kidnapped me—I was _bait_," Sam continued harshly.

Shaking his head slowly, Phantom looked a little lost as he tried to come up with a come-back. Maddie slipped down into crouch next to Jack and watched the impossible scene unfold before her. Sam, a human girl, was absolutely destroying the powerful ghost boy and he wasn't even fighting back.

"What were you thinking?" Sam asked, her eyes glowing almost as fiercely as the ghost's were.

"I..." Phantom's mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out anymore. A look of surprised confusion was filling his face.

"Well?" Sam poked him one last time.

"I couldn't," the boy said softly, pulling away from her and putting some distance between them for the first time.

"You couldn't," Sam scoffed, "why not?"

Phantom shook his head sourly and pushed himself to his feet. Sam was on her feet a split second behind him, repeating her question. "Why not, Danny?"

"I couldn't," he whispered, turning away from her and pacing away from them all.

Sam dogged him, touching his shoulder. "_Why not_?"

Maddie shivered at the morose and painful look on his face when he turned back to face Sam. For a second, Phantom stood still, staring straight at the girl, but then he focused down on his feet and muttered something impossibly quiet.

"What?" Even though Sam was the one that said it, Maddie found herself leaning forwards in anticipation of the answer. Most of her brain was screaming at her that this was an incredibly dangerous spirit with his back pressed against a wall, but part of her was wondering at

his answer. What could have kept such a powerful ghost from stopping and thinking before racing into what was (in hindsight) obviously a trap?

Phantom shuffled his feet. "I couldn't think," he said, softly but clearly, "because they had you." His eyes came up to meet hers. "I couldn't stop; I had to do _something_..."

Blinking in surprise, Sam took a small step backwards. "You stopped and thought before you rescued Tucker last week."

Maddie could feel her stomach twisting as she gazed at the tortured expression on Phantom's face. A revelation was sparkling in her mind that completely wiped out the worry about Tucker getting kidnapped last week. This thing that had Phantom so worked up—it was something special. Something between a girl and a boy...

"That was different," Phantom murmured.

Sam was watching him, confusion twisting her features. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

The ghost shook his head. Maddie's heart skipped a beat. She knew very well what the ghost boy meant by his cryptic words. She knew exactly what it was that he had realized under Sam's punishing questioning. Now there was only the question about what she was going to do about it.

There was no way that a ghost could be allowed to fall in love with a human.

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**So that's the first chapter as written by _Cordria_! The next will be taken up by me and will be VERY short. After that, the length will gradually pick up. So, please REVIEW! **


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the second chapter of Ghostly Love as written by me. I know it's short but the next chapter picks up...by a hundred words or so.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I in no way own _Danny Phantom_ or the plot of this fic. That honor belongs to _Cordria_.**

******REVIEW REPLIES TO ANONYMOUS REVIEWS ARE AT THE BOTTOM.**

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**Chapter 2**

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There was no way that ghost could be allowed to fall in love with a human. Heck, it wasn't even _possible_. Maddie refused to consider it. Ghosts were unfeeling blobs of ectoplasm that were all malevolent and didn't care for humans.

But then…why was it so hard for her to believe that? She studied the interactions between both Phantom and Sam and wondered. The ghost boy was acting nervous and kept averting his eyes from Sam. Sam, on the other hand, was trying to get his attention.

Maddie leaned back against the bars of the cage, trying to figure out the mystery that was Phantom. He was obviously an unfeeling blob of ectoplasm but then why did everything go so wrong? Ghosts weren't supposed to feel but _he_ did. Ghosts weren't supposed to care but _he_ did. Why were all their theories so thoroughly debunked when it came to Phantom?

Maddie blinked and came out of her reverie when Sam asked, "Any ideas on what to do?"

"Have you tried phasing through the bars?" Phantom suggested, sending a look in Maddie's and Jack's direction.

"You know, I believe I would've met you on the other side if I could do that," Sam said.

"It doesn't work?" Phantom sighed and assumed a thoughtful expression. "I could just blast out of here…"

"Don't think about it, Danny," Sam said sharply.

"Why are you trusting that spook of a ghost?" Jack suddenly burst out.

"He's a ghost. So what?" Sam shrugged. "I trust him."

"He's a ghost, Sam," Maddie said. "You can't trust ghosts."

"Well I trust this ghost," Sam said defiantly.

"Uh, let's just stop arguing and concentrate on what we're going to do now," Phantom pleaded. "We don't know when those ghosts are going to come back."

"Ha!" Jack glared at Phantom. Maddie watched interestedly as the ghost seemed to flinch. "You're working with them aren't you?"

"Oh yes. That's _exactly_ why I'm stuck in a cage with you guys," Phantom said sarcastically. "There's nothing I'd like more than to enjoy my time in a cage with two ghost hunters who would like to tear me apart molecule by molecule."

'_Can a ghost have sarcasm_?' Maddie wondered.

"Uh—" Jack didn't seem to have anything to say.

"Enough," Sam said firmly, placing a hand on Phantom's shoulder. "We need to figure out how we're getting out of here since Danny here was so smart as to fall into a trap."

"I already told you, Sam," Phantom muttered. The rest was lost in an undistinguishable murmur.

"What?" Sam cocked her head curiously.

Maddie was pretty sure about what had been said but still refused to believe it. It was impossible for a ghost to fall in love with a human. It was just wasn't _possible._ What's more, it wasn't allowed. It would be…it would be against the laws of nature.

"Any ideas, Danny?" Sam asked Phantom.

"Why are you calling Inviso-Bill Danny?" Jack demanded.

Maddie was amused to see a disgusted look cross Phantom's features. He _really_ didn't like that name.

"Because his name _is_ Danny," Sam explained before Phantom could say anything. "It's Danny Phantom."

"And not Inviso-Bill," Phantom said, rolling his eyes.

'_Ghosts can be amused?_' Maddie filed that piece of news away for later inspection.

"Anyway…" Phantom was pacing now. "We need to figure out how we're getting out of here." Maddie watched him warily. "Judging from those ghosts' appearance, it's safe to say we're—" He was cut off by a blue wisp of smoke that left his mouth. "Oh crud."

"A ghost?" Sam asked.

Her question left Maddie wondering how far Phantom's and Sam's relationship had progressed. If Phantom's behavior was any indication…

"I hope not." Phantom looked worried. "It _is_ the Ghost Zone, meaning—"

"I have you under lock and key, punk," a new voice interrupted.

Maddie jumped and had to put a restraining hand on Jack to stop him from springing up and shouting.

She turned her head to see a ghost dressed in an immaculate white and black suit. He had a hat on and Maddie suspected he was bald. His green eyes glittered malevolently.

"Walker," Phantom growled, his green eyes flashing with anger.

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**I do you hope you liked this chapter and please REVIEW!  
**

**Thanks to _nicole_, _PhantomGirl12_, _Invader Johnny_,_ CatalystOfTheSoul_, _Cordria_,_ MaxRideNut_,_ Amazing Bluie,_ and _Thoughts-of-Nothingness _for reviewing!**

**_nicole:_** I'm glad you think so. The honor of the first chapter goes to _Cordria_ but this last one was my work. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I own neither the show nor the plotline of this story. The plot belongs to _Cordria_ and the show to Butch Hartman.**

******REVIEW REPLIES TO ANONYMOUS REVIEWS AT THE BOTTOM!**

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**Chapter 3**

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"_Walker," Phantom growled, his green eyes flashing with anger._

"Who else?" the ghost—Walker—said with a grin. "Like the cage, punk? I made it just for you."

"What do you want?" Phantom demanded.

'_Interesting,_' Maddie thought, watching the heated exchange with interest. '_It's obvious they don't like each other. But why?_'

"I want my money's worth," Walker said, going up close to the bars. "You still owe me."

"Don't tell me you're starting _that_ again," Phantom said. "I don't owe you anything."

"Yeah," Sam said. "Danny's got enough on his plate without you adding to it."

"Cute," Walker sneered. "The ghost punk's girlfriend defending her boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Sam protested. She waited for Phantom's response but nothing came. She shot a glance in his direction and gave him a jab in the side with her elbow.

"Er, right!" Phantom said belatedly. He absentmindedly rubbed his side.

Maddie wasn't the only one that noticed his hesitation. Jack and Sam were both frowning. Sam with worry and Jack with puzzlement.

"You owe me one thousand years, punk," Walker said, steering the subject away from the boyfriend/girlfriend topic.

"For what?" Phantom glared at him. "I didn't do anything."

"'_Didn't do anything'?_" Walker shrieked with indignation. "You carted real-world contraband into the Ghost Zone, organized a rebellion, broke a dozen other rules, and organized a rebellion!"

"You said 'organized a rebellion' twice," Sam pointed out.

Maddie wondered how she could speak up to an obviously dangerous ghost.

"It's the major offense," Walker said. His eyes narrowed. "Point is, punk, you owe me. And I'm not going to let you out until I've taken everything I can get from you."

"What was I supposed to do?" Phantom asked, looking angry. "Rot in jail for breaking a rule I didn't even know existed?"

"Well yes." Walker seemed pleased that Phantom had gotten the point so easily.

"And what about them?" Phantom gestured to Maddie, Jack, and Sam. "_They_ didn't do anything unless you count them being here and then _you_ were the one responsible for bringing them here in the first place!"

"Collateral," Walker said simply. "Your girlfriend was the bait and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Now that I have you I'm not going to let go of such valuable prizes."

"You just sounded like Skulker," Phantom said.

"And that's gross," Sam added.

"Who's Skulker?" Jack whispered to Maddie.

"I don't know but we should keep listening," Maddie whispered back. "We might learn something."

"Something that will allow us to capture the ghost kid and dissect him?" Jack immediately brightened up at the prospect.

"Maybe." Maddie couldn't help but feel that dissecting Phantom would be…wrong. He seemed so alive. But he couldn't be, could he? '_He's a __**ghost**__, Madeline,_' Maddie told herself. '_Get a grip and turn back into the professional ghost hunter you are._'

But she still couldn't shake the feeling that it was wrong. What was wrong with her?

"I've got nothing for you." Phantom's voice brought her out of her internal battle. "You should let us go."

"Can't do that, punk," Walker said, drawing back from the cage. "That'd be against the rules."

"Of course," Phantom said sarcastically.

Walker's eyes narrowed. "No smart talk, punk." He turned his back to the cage and moved to the door so he could leave. "I'll be back." With a loud clang, the group was once more left alone.

"You have history?" was the first thing that sprang to Maddie's lips.

"You could say that," Phantom responded, turning his back to the bars. "We need to figure our way out of here."

"Why should we trust you, ghost?" Jack blurted out.

Phantom closed his eyes as if in irritation. He opened them as he said, "Who else can you trust? So I'm a ghost." He shrugged. "It just means I know the layout. Would you rather I just stay quiet and let Walker do what he wants?" Jack cast his eyes down. Phantom noted this. "Thought not. Now let's put our differences aside and knock our heads together. Maybe we can come up with a strategy."

Jack reluctantly agreed. Before Maddie could move over to her husband to start planning, she could've sworn she heard Sam mutter to Phantom, "Smooth talking back there, Danny. Where'd you learn to do that?"

Phantom gave a wry smile. "I learned from the best." He inclined his head towards Sam.

Sam returned the smile and went over to Jack and kneeled down beside him to start trying to figure out how to get out.

Phantom watched her go with an unreadable expression in his eyes. He smiled ruefully and shook his head before joining the two.

All this didn't go unnoticed by Maddie. Not for the first time, she wondered what their relationship was as they tried to come up with a decent escape plan. It was, she thought, impossible for a ghost to fall in love with a human.

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**Thanks to _CatalystOfTheSoul, Thoughts-of-Nothingness, Amazing Bluie, Invader Johnny, GeekGirl2, nicole, Thunderstorm101, FantomoDrako, MaxRideNut, _and _Miriam1_ for reviewing!**

_**nicole:**_ I'm really glad you liked that last chapter. I hope this one also lives up to your expectations.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I in no way own _Danny Phantom_, the characters associated with it, or the plot - which belongs to _Cordria_.**

******ANONYMOUS REVIEW REPLIES AT THE BOTTOM!**

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**Chapter 4**

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"Everyone got it?" Phantom asked, drawing back from the huddle.

"All clear!" Jack said.

"I don't know, Danny," Sam said doubtfully. "It's so…risky. What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will," Phantom assured her. "I'll make sure." His green eyes glinted with determination.

Maddie still wasn't sure about trusting Phantom but admitted that he was the only one capable of fighting on a ghost's level. Sure, she might be a ninth-degree black belt but it was nothing compared to a ghost's intangibility. Besides, all their weapons had been taken, leaving them defenseless.

"I still don't know." Sam shook her head, her eyes laced with worry. "Isn't there another way?"

"Our other options would've been fighting but Da—Jack's and Maddie's weapons have been taken," Phantom pointed out. "Phasing through isn't an option either. This is the only way."

Sam bit her lip, still not convinced. She didn't say anything, though.

Maddie didn't notice that. Her mind was on what Phantom had almost let slip.

'_What was he going to say?_' Maddie wondered, glancing at the ghost boy. Her brow furrowed as she tried to solve the mystery that was Phantom. ' _"Da"? Could it have been "dad" that he was about to say?_' She shook her head and mentally slapped herself. '_Focus, Madeline. He's a ghost. He must've been about to say something else. But what?_'

"Is he going to come back?" Jack broke the tense silence that had been building.

Phantom and Sam shared a glance.

"He said so," Phantom said. "Besides, knowing Walker, he will."

"Are you sure, Danny?" Sam asked softly.

"The only way," Phantom insisted. The steely will still glinted in his eyes. "You have to trust me, Sam."

"I do," Sam whispered, looking at her knees. "But still…"

"I'll be all right," Phantom promised. He looked straight into her eyes, showing that he was dead serious. "I won't anything happen to you…or Jack and Maddie," he added as an afterthought. Sam blushed. "I promise."

'_Impossible,_' Maddie's mind insisted. '_Ghosts can't—and shouldn't—fall in love with humans. They have no feelings._'

'_But he does,_' Maddie argued.

'_It's a show,_' was the reply.

'_Is it?_' Maddie asked. '_Or have we been wrong about ghosts all along? He always said not all ghosts are evil._'

'_What about all your tests?_' the sneaky voice answered. '_Going to let them go to waste?_'

Maddie was silent for a moment. '_I don't know. But I feel…I feel like I should give him a chance._'

The voice said nothing in reply, leaving Maddie alone and in silence. Or at least temporarily.

"So I guess we wait now," Sam said.

"Until Walker comes back," Phantom added.

"One more thing," Maddie said.

Phantom looked at her, giving her his undivided attention.

"This whole plan hinges on one thing," Maddie continued. "There's a high possibility it'll flunk. What do we do then?"

Phantom flashed her a grin. "There's where Plan B comes in."

"We have a Plan B?" Jack echoed what was on Maddie's mind. He was evidently confused.

"We do." Phantom looked back at the door to be sure Walker wasn't there. "I'm not saying anything unless it's necessary though."

"Why not?" Sam's eyes narrowed. "You're not thinking of sacrificing yourself, are you?"

A fleeting look crossed Phantom's face for a second. Maddie thought it was nervousness. However, it was soon replaced by his confident pose. "'Course not, Sam." He paused before adding sternly, "But that doesn't mean I'm telling you what Plan B is."

Apparently, Sam hadn't caught the nervousness that had crossed Phantom's face as she didn't say anything else.

'_He really is going to do it, isn't he?_' Maddie mused, remembering his nervous face. '_Either that, or something else._'

"You think we can trust him, Maddie?" Jack whispered to her. His voice brought her out of her silent reverie.

She scrambled quickly for her thoughts and managed to collect them in time to answer. "We have to." She frowned, weighing her next words. "Even I'm not too confident about trusting him but he's right in saying we can't fight. He's the only one on their level. We really don't have a choice."

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," Jack said. "I hate having to place my trust in a ghost."

"I do, too," Maddie said softly, watching Phantom. He was looking—or rather glaring—at the door.

Sam placed a hand on Phantom's shoulder. "Relax. There's nothing you can do now. Besides, the more time passes the better anyway."

Phantom relaxed a bit but not much. "You're right. I just don't want to be taken by surprise."

Once more, Maddie tried to figure out their relationship. They were obviously friends. That much was obvious. But Phantom's reactions and his not so secret glances towards Sam made her think it went much deeper than that. But why? And how? Ghosts didn't feel but Phantom did. Ghosts didn't have friends but Phantom did. Ghosts didn't—aargh. Phantom was too much for Maddie to figure out. He went much deeper than any other ghost she knew, that was for certain.

She was once more broken out of her thoughts. This time, it was because of Phantom's ghost sense.

"It may not be very accurate here," Phantom muttered, keeping his eyes on the door. His muscles were tense. "It may not be anything."

The door opened.

"Or it may be something after all."

Phantom got up from his sitting position and glared at the ghosts that were coming in.

"Hello, punk," Walker said, grinning. "Comfortable?"

"Yes," Phantom said coolly. "What do you want now?"

"You." Walker motioned for a goon to come forward. "For now."

"Leave Danny alone!" Sam demanded. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Lock him away." Walker shrugged. "I may do something else to the punk to make him pay for what he owes me but I think a little isolation is perfect for him now."

Maddie shivered at the cold look in his eyes. Whatever this ghost had in mind for Phantom, it wouldn't be pretty. That much was for sure.

"Try your worst," Phantom said airily. "I doubt you'll get very far though."

"Danny!" Sam hissed warningly. "Stop provoking him!"

'_Does he __**want**__ to be tortured?_' Maddie watched in amazement as Phantom coolly glared the other ghost down. '_The way he's acting, it certainly looks like it._'

"I already said no smart talking, punk," Walker said.

The goon from earlier was unlocking the door to the cage.

"So this is smart talking?" Phantom ignored Sam's pleading eyes. "I had no idea. Is that against the rules now, too?" He smirked. "Speaking of which, did you ever add to that thick book of yours that saying 'please' when you want something is a rule?"

"That's it," Walker growled. He glared daggers at Phantom. "Take him out of my sight! He's going to get his well deserved punishment as soon as I think of something suitable."

" 'Something suitable' for you is probably going to be something like no making up rules," Phantom muttered as the goon grabbed his elbow to lead him out.

As soon as Phantom stepped out of the cage, he turned his brilliant green eyes to the people still inside it and only tilted his head a tiny bit forward. Maddie knew immediately that the plan was going to be put into action.

She watched in amazement as Phantom's eyes began to glow an icy blue and her last thought before it all started was, '_I really hope this works._'

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**Thanks to _CatalystOfTheSoul, Thoughts-of-Nothingness, MaxRideNut, Invader Johnny, Thunderstorm101, Chopee, Garnet Sky, nicole, FantomoDrako, and Amazing Bluie _for reviewing!**

**_nicole_: **I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing out Maddie's thoughts on Phantom.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I own neither _Danny Phantom_ nor the plot. The plot belongs to _Cordria_ and the show to Butch Hartman.**

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**Chapter 5**

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Phantom's eyes glowed an icy blue and the occupants in the cage had to shield their eyes from the unnatural light.

"NOW!"

Another burst of light pierced Maddie's eyelids but this time it was green. It was followed by a loud snapping noise and some metallic crashes.

Maddie was jerked to her feet by Jack but hopped out of the cage on her own power. Her eyes widened as she saw Phantom.

He was literally everywhere. Having already taken care of three goons, he was making fast work of the others. His ecto-blasts were sharp and controlled and his punches were powerful.

"What are you waiting for?" Phantom cried. He had started to engage Walker. "Move!"

"Not without you!" Sam argued.

Phantom shot her a look and then froze Walker with an ice beam. The warden was frozen in a block of ice and looked furious to say the least.

"Fine!" Phantom grabbed Sam. "Let's go. _Now!_"

Maddie and Jack were immediately on his heels. They managed to barrel through the area they had found themselves in purely because of the surprise and shock that had momentarily paralyzed the goons floating about. But that changed once an alarm snapped the ghosts back into their proper mindsets.

"Oh crud." Phantom shot at an oncoming goon. "I hadn't expected the ice to melt so quickly. We're gonna have to sprint through here to really get out."

"Again," Sam muttered. "Don't get hit."

"I'll try." Phantom blasted back several more goons. "Find someplace to hide!"

"How?" Jack asked.

"You have phasing abilities. Use them!"

"What?" Maddie was confused.

"I'll help," Sam said hurriedly, seeing Phantom was busy holding off ten different guards at once. "We're the ghosts here so we can just phase through stuff here. Get it?"

"Less talking, more running!" Phantom shouted, whizzing by them.

"We should take his advice," Sam suggested.

"Agreed." Maddie ducked to avoid a ghost that had gotten past Phantom. She kicked it across the room. Or tried to. Her foot went straight through it. This knocked her off balance and she nearly fell over.

Jack caught her and immediately punched the hapless ghost into von beyond.

"I hit it?" Jack stared at his fist, bemused.

"Let's go!" Sam grabbed the Fentons and shoved them through a wall. She followed.

"Why did Maddie's attack not hit and mine did?" was the first thing Jack asked.

Maddie almost laughed at the irony. They, the world famous ghost hunters, were asking about the mechanics about the very beings they were supposed to be experts on from a girl who wouldn't even know the basics. Granted, the girl had experience with ghosts but she still wasn't an expert.

"I don't know," Sam replied. "We're still figuring out the mechanics here."

" 'We're'?" Maddie hadn't missed the pronoun.

Sam sighed. "Danny and me."

"You've gone into the Ghost Zone?" Jack's eyes narrowed. "That's dangerous! Even we haven't gone!"

"Keep it down!" Sam hissed. She gazed fearfully about but didn't see anyone.

"Oh right. Sorry." Jack looked ashamed. He whispered, "But why did you go into the Ghost Zone? It's dangerous!"

"I know!" Sam whispered back. "Danny and I—"

"Which Danny?" Maddie interrupted. It was getting so confusing.

"_Phantom_ and I," Sam started again, irritated, "were curious about the Ghost Zone."

"Phantom was, too?" Maddie asked. "He's a ghost. Doesn't he live here?"

Maddie was interested to see a disgusted look cross Sam's face. Had she unintentionally let something slip?

"_I_ was curious," she amended. "So Phantom agreed to take me in. Besides," she muttered so low that Maddie could barely understand her, "I was taken here forcefully one time, too."

' "_Forcefully"?_' Maddie kept her lips shut, though. Sam was obviously not going to say anymore on the matter.

A couple of crashes were heard along with a few more ectoplasmic blasts. The trio held their breath, hoping no one had discovered them.

Therefore, when something plunked straight through the wall and landed in front of them, it could be said that they all jumped. Maddie just barely withheld a small cry and was about to strike when she saw the intruder was Phantom.

"Hey," he panted. He had several scratches on his face that oozed green blood and some developing bruises that made Maddie wince on seeing them. "How ya doin'?"

Sam breathed a snort of derision. " 'How ya doin'?' _'How ya doin'?'_! What kind of question is that?"

Phantom blinked before a sheepish look crossed his features. "Sorry. It just seemed appropriate for the moment."

"I think that something like 'Ghosts!' would be more appropriate," Sam retorted.

"I am a ghost," Phantom pointed out. He sighed in exasperation. "Agh. Whatever. It's only a matter of time before they find me. He hasn't arrived yet, has he?"

Sam shook her head. "Do you see him?" She frowned at him. "You knew that this plan was risky. Why did you even suggest it?"

"It was the only option we had!" Phantom defended himself. His eyes darted about, making sure no one was there. He muttered, "That or Plan B."

Sam's eyes narrowed. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Phantom flinched. That had not been for ears others then his own. "Uh, nothing. It's nothing," he insisted in a firmer tone. A loud noise distracted him and he looked warily at the wall. "I have to go. I'll draw them away before coming back. Stay quiet," he ordered before phasing through the wall and leaving them alone.

Sam watched him leave. "Stay safe," she whispered.

There was silence for several moments.

"So what do we do?" Jack broke it.

"Stay here," Sam said simply. "Danny can handle it." But the worried look in her eyes said otherwise. "Just hurry," she muttered.

"What if he doesn't come?" Maddie said softly. "What'll we do then?" She felt so helpless. That must seem even more apparent if she was turning to a fourteen-year-old girl for help.

"Plan B," Sam repeated. "He has a Plan B. I just hope it isn't one of those self-sacrificing ones he's always so fond of pulling off. But knowing him, it probably is."

"Plan A?" Jack inquired.

Sam sighed and hugged her knees to herself. "He should be coming. It's only a question of when."

"Does he know his way around here?" Maddie queried.

"Yes."

"How come you didn't mention him then?" Maddie demanded.

Sam chuckled weakly. "I…forgot? Phantom and I had gone in first."

"I don't believe you," Maddie stated blandly.

Sam winced. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Fenton," she apologized. "But still, you'll have to trust us."

"In a ghost?" Jack voiced Maddie's concerns.

Sam let out a breath of exasperation. "Maybe you should start thinking that not all ghosts are evil. _Some_ are actually _trustworthy_. Take Danny," she added quickly on Maddie's behalf, "Phantom. He's trustworthy."

"In a way," Maddie admitted reluctantly.

There were a couple of yells from outside and a loud crash that seemed to happen right next to them. Everyone stiffened, hoping that their temporary hiding spot hadn't been found. When nothing further happened, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Too close," Sam murmured. A worried look crossed her eyes. "He better be all right."

"You're friends, aren't you?" Jack said suddenly as if just realizing an important fact. "That's why you two are so close."

"When did you figure that out?" Maddie could tell Sam was trying to stay polite. "Yes. We're friends."

"Since when?"

"Since we met," Sam replied mysteriously.

"When did you meet?" Maddie inquired before Jack could.

"Right…after he first showed up," Sam said. She was looking slightly nervous. "We just…bumped into each other after a ghost attack and"—she shrugged—"I guess he wanted a friend."

"Does Danny—our Danny know? "Maddie half-hoped he didn't. It would most likely crush him if he knew his crush had a ghost after her. She also suspected Sam liked Phantom, too.

Sam looked even more nervous now. "Um…he…does," she said slowly. "He's…also a friend." She looked like a light bulb had just gone off in her brain. "But he didn't want me to tell you because he knew you wouldn't approve," she added quickly. "You're ghost hunters!" The last bit was rather unnecessary.

"Cool!" Jack proclaimed. "My son knows a ghost! A ghost I can dissect molecule by molecule!"

"I…don't think that's a good idea," Sam protested feebly.

Before Maddie could add her two-cents, a familiar ghost popped into their midst.

"Lost them," Phantom said, catching his breath. He looked hopeful. "Here yet?"

"If he was, would we still be here?" Sam answered.

"Hurry up," Phantom muttered.

"Maybe he got lost?" Jack suggested.

Phantom sighed. "Not likely but it's possible. Either that or he was detained."

"By what though?" Sam asked. She scrutinized Phantom. "You're hurt!"

Phantom hastily covered a gash in his arm. "It's nothing."

"That's what you always say." Despite Phantom's protests, Sam grabbed his arm and inspected the gash more closely.

' "_Always_"?' Maddie thought, alarmed. '_How long have these two been doing this?_'

"Seriously, Sam, I'm _fine,_" Phantom insisted, taking his arm back. "Besides, there's not much you can do for it here."

Sam seemed to agree and it struck Maddie once more about how the two both seemed to like each other without knowing of the other's affection. Oddly enough, it reminded her of her own son and Sam and made her wish that there was a way Danny—Danny Fenton—wouldn't have to face the repercussions if Sam was in love with a ghost. Would it be moral if Sam was in love with a ghost? Could a human fall in love with a ghost and could a ghost fall in love with a human? And should it be allowed? All the new questions were making Maddie's head spin and she half-hoped for a suitable distraction that would take her mind off the new puzzles that insisted on harassing her.

It came with the familiar blue wisp of mist that escaped Phantom's lips. He frowned slightly, contemplating something.

"On one hand," he said, "there are ghosts here so it could be wrong. On the other, it could be telling me that there's a ghost coming. A new ghost," he added to be more specific.

"Which is it?" Sam kept her voice low, looking like she was on edge.

Before Phantom could reply, something slammed into him that came from the wall. The rushing wind from the bypassing object knocked the other humans back while Phantom was knocked into the opposite wall.

"Found you, punk." It was Walker. And he looked pissed. "I hope you have your last words already outlined. You're going away for a long time."

"Not if I can help it," Phantom snapped, shoving Walker off of him with a powerful thrust to the warden's chest. He jumped to his feet—er, boots and assumed an offensive position. He looked over to the others and cried, "Run!"

"But—" Sam started to protest.

"I mean it!" Phantom formed an ecto-ball and threw it to the recovering Walker, who was pushed down again. "Run! I'll be fine!"

"You always say that!"

"I mean it!" Phantom said again. He looked slightly exasperated. "I'll catch up!"

"Don't take your eyes off your opponent, punk," Walker said, jumping on the ghost boy. The two wrestled for a few quick moments before Phantom's gloved hands glowed green and he blasted the warden off of him. The ghost struck the ceiling one moment and hit the floor in another. Phantom was already on his feet and pushing the slow-moving trio through the wall starting with Jack. The orange-clad man disappeared through the wall.

"Danny." Sam was biting her lip, a pained expression on her face.

"I'll be fine," Phantom assured her, taking Maddie's arm. "But you're not going to be if you stay here."

The last thing Maddie saw before Phantom shoved her through was Sam's pained look. Then she emerged on the other side, blinking with the sudden change in lighting.

A few more seconds passed while the two waited for Sam. Maddie started fidgeting. There had been enough time for Phantom to push Sam through. What if something was wrong? Maybe she should check, just to be sure.

She wrestled with herself for a few more moments until a familiar Goth girl plunked into their midst. Both Maddie and Jack breathed sighs of relief as Sam's eyes adjusted to the lighting in her new environment.

It was then that Maddie noticed a slight flush on the teen's cheeks. What had happened between the two? Surely nothing serious. A malevolent ghost had been right there.

"Where are we?" Sam asked, inspecting her surroundings.

"Dunno," Jack responded.

"Least it's clear of ghosts," Sam said softly, sitting down. She was tense but there was still a slight blush to her features. Maddie decided not to comment.

They passed in silence for a while longer. Maddie was starting to cramp up and she was sure the others were, too.

"It's taking too long," Sam whispered, aggravated.

"Maybe he's leading the ghosts away?" Maddie said gently.

Sam shook her head. "Walker saw us come in here." She shifted. "Something's up."

"'Course something's up," Jack muttered. "It's the Ghost Zone."

"Other than that." Sam got to her feet. "Ugh. I hate not doing anything."

Maddie furrowed her brow. "Do you fight ghosts?"

"Uh, n-no," Sam stammered. She chuckled weakly. "What gives you that idea, Mrs. Fenton?"

Maddie wasn't buying it. Unfortunately, she was unable to press the matter further as a bright green light blinded them.

When they could see again, they wished that they were still blind from the spots as what they saw wasn't pleasing. Dozens of goons surrounded them. They were all armed and looked extremely menacing.

"_Knew_ something was wrong," Sam said, wincing. "Guess Danny couldn't do anything or he was busy."

They were surrounded. Maddie found it hard to believe that they would get out of this scrape. There were times being a ghost hunter sucked.

* * *

**Thanks to _MaxRideNut, MissMontana, Invader Johnny, CatalystOfTheSoul, SkyHeart92, Thunderstorm101, Thoughts-of-Nothingness, Dannyphantomfn2, FantomoDrako, Hyperpegasi, _and _Garnet Sky_ for reviewing!**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I own neither _Danny Phantom_ nor the plotline, which belongs to _Cordria._**

******ANONYMOUS REVIEW REPLIES AT THE BOTTOM! AND A REPLY TO _MaxRideNut _SINCE HE/SHE ASKED A GOOD QUESTION!**

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**Chapter 6**

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It looked bleak to say the least. Maddie could see no way out as the ghosts blocked her every move. She was sure the others were faced with the same dilemma.

Perhaps humans were the ghosts here in the Ghost Zone but the ghosts themselves held the advantage since they knew the territory. The only ghost that was on their side was nowhere to be seen and Maddie could only hope that he was still free. What could she do? As much as she hated to admit it, Phantom was their only way out. That, or if their "plan" worked, he would be there, too.

"Any plan?" she found herself asking. '_What plan?_' she scolded herself. '_We're surrounded! There's not much we can do._'

"Yeah," Sam replied much to her surprise. "Let's go down fighting." She assumed a fighting position.

"Are you crazy?" Maddie whispered, hoping the same thoughts were running through Sam's head. "Have you seen how many there are?"

"Clearly," was the reply. "And no, I'm not crazy. Just fiercely competitive."

"Then you should know it's futile to fight!" Maddie's analytical brain was working overdrive. She really couldn't see a way out of their current predicament.

" 'Where there's a will, there's a way'," Sam recited. "It may be hopeless but still—"

"—I'll be darned if I didn't go down fighting," Jack finished. He grinned craftily. "Likewise." He glanced at Maddie. "Come on, Maddie, don't be so down! Who's the better shot?"

"I am," Maddie said. "But I don't have a gun."

"Who's the ninth-degree black belt?" Jack continued, ignoring Maddie's feeble protest.

"I am," Maddie sad reluctantly. "But they can turn intangible."

"Who's the woman I love more than anything?" her husband went on.

Maddie blinked. "I am. Jack?" She wasn't quite sure what that was supposed to mean.

"Come on, Maddie." Jack flashed his wife his signature grin. "Let's kick some ghost butt!"

"Do you surrender?" a ghost with an eye-patch asked. He seemed to be second-in-command.

"Never, scum!" Jack yelled, brandishing his fists.

"You realize it's futile to fight?" the ghost queried.

"So?" Sam said. "Just because you bullies outnumber us five to one—"

'_A gross underestimation,_' Maddie thought.

"—doesn't mean we can't fight! Or win!" Sam added.

The goons all pulled out weapons that looked like they could cause serious damage.

"Still think so?" The eye-patched ghost grinned.

"That changes things," Sam muttered, eyeing a nasty looking curved blade a goon to her right was wielding. It was glowing green.

"But we still fight!" Jack declared brazenly.

'_I married him because of that drive but it makes me wonder if that same drive is going to kill us all,_' Maddie mused, taking her favorite stance.

"I'll take that ghost over there." Sam indicated the one with the wicked blade.

"You take that half, you take that third, and I'll take the rest!" Jack instructed the two.

Maddie raised an eyebrow. As brilliant as her husband was, he seemed to have given Sam a bigger portion of ghosts to fight than her.

"Actually," she whispered to Sam, "I'll take the half. You take the third."

Sam looked grim and determined. "Deal."

"BANZAI!" Jack leapt without warning into the fray. A few goons scattered by surprise. "Take that, spooks!" Ghosts were beginning to fly as Jack barreled through them.

"Hyah!" Maddie executed a neat round-house kick and knocked a goon over. That same goon keeled over into a few more and they all fell down, creating a pileup. Maddie jumped onto them and snatched a weapon that looked like a baton. "I'll take that, you post-human mass of ectoplasmic goo! And this," she added, snitching a staff that crackled with electricity.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sam fending off two goons with the curved blade she had managed to obtain. Doing rather well, she robbed another goon of his dagger and started attacking in earnest.

It turned out that it was actually a good thing the opposing ghosts had drawn all their weapons. Maddie hid a smile as she sent a goon flying with the staff.

She heard someone shouting over the din, "Nobody messes with Jack Fenton!"

"Get off me!"

Maddie whirled around to Sam struggling in a ghost's grip. Before she could get there, though, Sam had managed to drive the small dagger she held in the goon's abdomen.

Ectoplasmic blood spurted out and covered Sam's back. The enraged Gothic teen swung around wildly with her other weapon and knocked down at least five goons.

"Green is _so_ not my color," Sam complained, seeing Maddie stare at her. She caught sight of something behind the ghost hunter. "Heads up!" she called.

Maddie ducked instinctively and thrust the baton-like weapon upwards. Much to her surprise, something green shot out of one end. Chancing a glance upwards, she saw that the green attack had just taken out a goon that had been flying over her head.

Someone familiar suddenly appeared at her side. "You okay, Maddie?"

"Of course, Jack," Maddie replied, kicking a goon out of the way.

Sam appeared, panting slightly. "How many more do you reckon there are?"

Maddie looked around but couldn't see anything else besides the menacing stares of the helmeted goons. "I don't know," she admitted. "No matter how many we knock down, more show up."

"I know I took at least one out for the count," Sam said, smiling. Ectoplasm was streaked across her face and some blobs were in her hair. Maddie could see a few scratches and bruises but nothing serious. When and how had she learned how to fight?

"One out, three dozen to go," Maddie murmured.

Sam chuckled. "Right. That must've sounded stupid."

"They've stopped," Jack said.

Maddie looked around, seeing a temporary lull in the fighting. "So they have."

"I wonder why." Sam frowned.

"We're giving you one last chance to surrender." It was the eye-patched ghost. "Take it or perish."

Maddie then noticed that he was looking oddly beaten up. She eyed Jack and saw him grinning. It made sense that her husband had beaten up the ghost.

"Oh yeah, Bullet," Sam said. "Sound all bold. Real macho of you there. There's no way Walker would let you kill us."

'_How does she know his name?_' Maddie shot her a worried look. '_Obviously, she's been way more involved with ghosts than any of us knew previously._'

"We'll just see about that, shall we?" Bullet was grinning.

"You really want to go against your superior?" Sam sounded shocked. "That's against the rules."

Bullet scowled and bared his teeth. "Don't tell me what I can or can't do, human."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Ooh. I just struck a nerve there, didn't I?"

Bullet seemed infuriated but repeated his earlier statement. "Surrender now or die."

"Right. I am so sure that Walker would appreciate that," Sam said sarcastically.

"Last chance," Bullet said again, glaring at the nonchalant Sam.

"Never, ghost scum!" Jack proclaimed loudly.

"Of course," Bullet muttered. Maddie barely caught the next words. "It's the oaf."

She felt a strange surge of fury at his words. Her husband was _not_ an oaf. OK, maybe he was clumsy and he did miss the target he was aiming at more often than not but he was still graceful in his own way. _No one_ insulted Jack and got away with it.

Maddie opened her mouth and was about to shoot back a heated reply when she saw something in Jack's eyes. He seemed to be preparing to say something.

"This oaf beat you up," Jack declared proudly.

Jack had beaten up Bullet after all. That was so Jack. Threaten his family and he would instantly retaliate.

"Got anything else to say?" Sam asked, smirking. "Or are you just going to continue to insult us?"

Bullet gritted his teeth, clearly not amused by Sam's quip.

"Don't rile him," Maddie whispered to Sam.

Sam ignored her, smiling brightly at the infuriated ghost. "Well? Did you lose your tongue? I would get you a new one but I'm against slaughtering animals," she continued in a concerned tone. "Would a faux one do?"

Maddie groaned inwardly. The girl had signed her own death warrant! What was she, suicidal?

Now Bullet was really mad. "Hold your tongue, girl, or I'll—"

"You'll what?" a new voice snarled, making the humans freeze. "Not kill them I hope, Bullet. I wanted them captured alive." It was Walker.

"Y-yes, sir," Bullet stammered, slightly shocked at Walker's arrival.

It was nothing compared to the shock that Maddie and the others were feeling. What happened to Phantom?

"He better be all right," Sam said furiously in a low tone so the ghosts couldn't hear.

"Pathetic, really," Walker said, sneering. "You couldn't take down a group of humans?"

"Sir, they have weapons," a goon protested feebly.

"I see that!" Walker snapped, whirling on the offending ghost. He immediately cowered. "And whose fault is that? They snatched those weapons from under your noses!"

"What happened to the ghost kid?" Jack cut into the warden's rant.

"Phantom?" Walker grinned nastily. "He should know better than to follow an enemy into an unknown room."

"What did you do to him?" Sam demanded.

"Ah right. The girlfriend." Walker smiled in a not-so-pleasant way. "You could call him caged at the moment." He leaned until the two were nose to nose. "Got anything to say to that?"

Maddie noticed belatedly that Sam hadn't protested to being called Phantom's girlfriend. She recalled Sam's earlier blush and her suspicions heightened. What had happened?

"You better not have hurt him," Sam warned, her eyes narrowing.

"Or you'll do what?" Walker straightened, his smirk back in place. "Bawl over his dead body?"

Maddie felt an involuntary shiver at that. Why did she feel so repulsed at the thought of Phantom's dead body? Wasn't that what she had wanted all along? To shoot him down and dissect him? She was so confused. What was wrong with her? This trip into the Ghost Zone was changing everything and anything she knew and felt about ghosts previously. She still felt repulsed by Walker, though.

Meanwhile, Sam started to shimmer with rage. Maddie unconsciously edged away for her own safety while Jack did the same. Unfortunately, it was impossible to do it inconspicuously with his great bulk as he knocked and phased through goons.

Before the Goth could make a scathing retort that she would probably regret, a loud crash resounded through the room and a cloud of dust was seen at one wall. They expected the dust but what they _didn't_ expect was the slab of stone barreling through the goons and knocking into Walker, leaving an empty space where he'd been standing.

Sam blinked, perplexed. "Er, what?"

Then a familiar voice made them all weak-kneed with relief. "The cavalry has arrived!"

Their plan had worked!

* * *

**Big thanks to _MaxRideNut, Invader Johnny, Thunderstorm101, Hyperpegasi, GeekGirl2, Lightning Streak, Charmed-and-More, Dannyphantomfn2, FantomoDrako, CyberArcRotarr, CatalystOfTheSoul, thebestAUTHOR, _and _Moriko Nightdream_ for reviewing!**

_**MaxRideNut:**_ No. There was no way for Danny to call this mysterious savior. They just expected him to show up because that's what he normally does. That's why Sam and Maddie were so reluctant to go with the plan at first.

_**Lightning Streak**_: I'm honored you decided to check this story out. :O I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. I also hope you enjoy this chapter.

_**Moriko Nightdream:**_ (nervous chuckle) I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Did I review on one of your stories or something anonymously? Or something else? I read so many that the authors' names get mixed up. Sorry about that. :P (blushes embarrasedly) Anyway, I'm glad you like this story. BTW, one time I submitted a review that wasn't quite complete. I know what you mean. XD


	7. Chapter 7

**This is the last chapter of Ghostly Love. It would never have come to fruition without _Cordria_, though, so I owe her a huge thanks. THANKS!**

**You guys have input guesses as to who would rescue them. Guesses: Vlad, Wulf, Tucker, Jazz, and Clockwork. Although why Clockwork would interfere ("I'm the ghost of time not the ghost of miracle cures.") is kind of beyond me. O.o And _Vlad_?  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own _Danny Phantom_ and the plot belongs to _Cordria_.**

**REVIEW REPLY TO _Invader Johnny_ AT THE BOTTOM!  
**

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**Chapter 7**

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_"The cavalry has arrived!"_

Maddie silently cheered. So their plan had worked! It looked like Phantom's mysterious Plan B wouldn't have to be put in effect after all. Of course, that still left the question of where he was.

"Seriously, 'the cavalry has arrived'?" Sam snickered. "Where'd you come up with that? You're a one man army!"

"Hey! Either you want me to rescue you or you don't!" was the offended reply from the vehicle. "You could at least _act_ happy to see me!"

Maddie blinked and stared at the vehicle. It was their Specter Speeder! How had he learned how to drive it? OK, granted, they couldn't drive it either because they never used it but he still shouldn't know! Did this mean Danny and his friends had gone into the Ghost Zone behind their backs? Her suspicions about the trio's—or maybe the four's—activities heightened. What had they been up to with Phantom?

"OK, fine." Sam took a breath and acted, "You're my hero! Why don't you come here so I can give you a big, fat whack from this knife?" She grinned innocently, waving the stolen "knife" around.

"Are you sure that's a knife?" The door opened. "Looks more like a machete to me."

"No, really! Want a whack?" Sam was still grinning.

"On second thought, just act ungrateful." Tucker Foley poked his head out. "Where's Danny?"

"Don't you know?" Maddie asked. She hoped a ghost hadn't gotten to him.

Tucker looked puzzled. "Should I?"

"Shouldn't we run?" Jack added. "Those ghosts don't look friendly."

That was the understatement of the century. Walker's goons looked furious. A bit confused but furious. It wouldn't be long before they snapped out of their daze caused by Walker's absence and attacked.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. F!" Tucker called, sounding like he had just seen them. "Hop in real quick! The Tucker Foley Express is about to leave!"

Sam looked round quickly before getting in and buckling up by Tucker. Maddie and Jack hastily sat in the back before the goons could register what Tucker had just said.

Maddie could've sworn she heard Tucker say to Sam under his breath, "Where's Danny?"

"I don't know," she caught Sam replying. "I think Walker got him."

"They don't know, do they?" Maddie caught Tucker looking at them and pretended to be busy studying a backpack. Was that olive green?

"No, they don't," Sam whispered.

'_Know what?_' Maddie wondered, biting her lip. '_Is it about Phantom? Or __**Danny**__?_'

"I'm wondering why they haven't attacked yet." Tucker's loud voice made Maddie jump after only hearing their quiet tones.

"Maybe they're waiting for Walker," Sam suggested.

"What happened to him anyway? I didn't see him."

"You squashed him with a rock," Sam said bluntly.

Tucker winced. "Ouch."

"Say 'ouch' for someone else," Sam said.

"Um, it may just be me but I think those ghosts are gonna attack," Jack said helpfully.

Both teens turned to the front and Tucker reached for some buttons that activated different weapons. Walker had reappeared, his suit dusty and slightly torn.

"Breaking into prison is against the rules," he said.

"Oh really?" Sam leaned forward. "I thought breaking _out_ of prison was against the rules."

Walker glared. "They're both."

"Um, excuse me?" Tucker waved, catching Walker's attention. "Uh, yeah, hi. I was wondering, is firing weapons against the rules?"

"What?"

"Because, uh, you guys have weapons that fire," Tucker continued. "So, ah, how's this?" He pressed a button and dozens of weapons on the outside appeared, ready to shoot. "Too much?"

Walker seemed about to burst with fury and was incapable of speech.

"I think that's a 'yes'," Tucker said in a quiet voice to the occupants.

Sam grinned. "Do you see his face? I think that's a 'no'."

Maddie and Jack shared astonished looks. How could these two joke so easily? They were facing a legion of ghosts! And nasty ones, too.

Maddie shook her head in disbelief. They said "seeing is believing" but what if simply _seeing_ wasn't enough? Even while being faced with two teens and their flippant attitude toward hunting ghosts, she couldn't believe it. Weren't they worried about Phantom?

Whoa. Maddie frowned. She did not just think that. Since when did she care about a ghost's well-being?

"So, what about Danny?" Tucker was asking cheerfully.

"I don't know," Sam replied.

'_They're talking about Phantom,_' Maddie realized. '_They're just putting on an act to fool us._'

"Where was he?"

'_What about Danny_ _**Fenton**__?_' She voiced this thought.

Tucker stared at her blankly for a moment, causing her to panic. Then something clicked in his brain and he said, "Oh! He's fine."

"Where is he?" Maddie queried.

"At home keeping a lookout," Tucker answered.

"Why isn't he hunting ghosts?" Jack complained.

"Well…" Tucker seemed uncomfortable and asked Sam for help with his eyes.

"He was worried about your reactions," Sam said carefully. Suddenly, she cried, "Watch out!" She wrenched the controls from Tucker and blasted an attacking goon.

Tucker was frozen for a moment. "Oops."

"Pay attention!" Sam hissed before turning to the two parents. "Anything else?"

Maddie could see a flaw in their lies. Why would Danny be more concerned about their reactions if they found out about his secret than about his friends' safety? That wasn't like her baby boy at all. And what about the Specter Speeder? Wouldn't he know how to operate the weapons better? It was too holey for her taste but right now there wasn't time for a more detailed explanation. They were being attacked.

"Get them!" Walker was bellowing. "They're only _humans_!"

Unfortunately for them, these "humans" had the advantage with anti-ghost weaponry. None of the goons were having any particular success. Maddie felt distinctly proud for being a maker of such a fine vehicle.

"We need to get through to get to Danny," Tucker said.

"Fire faster!" Sam snapped.

"There's a limit!"

"Exceed it!"

"But it'll overload, leaving us defenseless!"

"Aren't you a techno geek? Do something about it if you want to rescue Danny!" Sam snatched the weapons controls. "Give 'em to me!"

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Jack asked Maddie softly, watching the verbal argument. They were still hitting ghosts despite their distractions.

"No! You'll overload the computers!" Tucker wrestled for the controls.

"I _won't_!" Sam threw an exasperated glance out the window. "Now give 'em to me!" She accidentally held a button down for too long, causing an ecto-gun to fire continuously for two minutes and knock down a ton of goons.

Open-mouthed, they all watched as it continued to fire. But soon, it started to spark and then the whole weapons system went dead, shutting down all the weapons. The two teens were left holding a pair of useless of controls.

"See?" Tucker said flatly. "It overloaded."

"Sorry." Sam shoved the driving controls to him. "You drive."

Tucker stared at her in disbelief. "What? They're all gonna catch us!"

"They're looking," Maddie added, panicking slightly. Where was Phantom? Oh right. Missing.

"Calm down, Mrs. Fenton," Sam said reassuringly. "We've done this plenty of times."

"Gone through a horde of nasty ghosts that hate us with a vengeance without weapons?" Tucker said sarcastically. "Yup. We've done this about a hundred times, Mrs. F. No worries! Just let me do the driving while we get arrested."

Sam glared at him and opened her mouth to reply when someone else did. "Given up yet?"

She directed her attention to the front and fired back, "Should we?"

"Easy, Sam," Tucker cautioned her. "We're out of fire and this won't hold forever against their attacks." He tapped the dashboard of the Specter Speeder to indicate what he meant.

"So are you going to back out of this prison?" Sam had a glint in her eye.

"Um, if I say 'yes' will you kill me?" Tucker asked cautiously.

"How about throwing you out?" she hinted.

Tucker's eyes widened and he floored the Speeder, sending it flying forwards and through the startled goons, rocking everyone else from their seats.

"Watch it!" Maddie cried, holding on to her armrests. "You'll crash!"

"We're the ghosts, remember?" Sam reminded her.

"Or maybe not!" Tucker made a ninety degree turn to dodge an ecto-blast from Walker and knocked into a pyramid of goons that threw them backwards. "We're still novices about the specifics!"

"Nowhere to run," Walker growled. He was forming another green ball. "Got anything to say?"

Maddie's eyes widened as she saw the ecto-ball glowing. She had heard that when the end came, one's life would be flashing before one's eyes. But her life wasn't flashing before her eyes. Wasn't she about to die? And what about Danny? What was he going to do without them? He had Jazz but wouldn't she also fall into a depression with their deaths?

She jumped when someone whispered into her ear. "Don't worry, Mads. We'll be all right."

"How do you know?" she whispered back.

Jack grinned, waggling his eyebrows. "I can feel it. It's cold."

Maddie was about to ask, "It's cold?" when the impact of his words struck her. Before she could say anything else, a blast of arctic air blew straight through them, even though the Speeder was closed and sealed against such temperatures. They all shivered involuntarily; Maddie's teeth even chattered.

"I-it's c-cold," Sam chattered, rubbing her arms. Maddie could see goose bumps.

"The heating system's gone haywire!" Tucker cried, his glasses becoming fogged.

Maddie saw Sam shake her head and point outside.

"Why is there ice there, too, then?" she challenged.

"What's going on here?" Walker roared.

No one could hear what happened next because they were blinded by a pale but bright blue light. Maddie shielded her eyes, dimly aware that the temperature had dropped another ten degrees.

"_Danny_!"

'_That sounded like Sam._' Maddie uncovered her eyes to see both Sam and Tucker standing, staring outside in obvious delight.

Maddie unbuckled and looked, too, flanked by Jack. What they saw made Maddie's heart leap with happiness.

"Hey." With his white hair fringed with ice and his breath visible, Danny Phantom was grinning at the occupants of the Specter Speeder. "Nice to see you made it, Tuck."

"You're all right!" Tucker cried. "Where were you?"

"Long story short, another cage," Phantom replied, turning around with both hands glowing blue. "Hang on. I have to freeze this lot."

This time the flash wasn't as blinding as the last so they could see what he was doing. The ghost boy brought his arms up in an X and then uncrossed them, releasing his ice energy and freezing the whole room with glittering statues and icicles.

"Come on, Danny!" Sam called through the glass. "The ice'll melt!"

Tucker snickered. "Dude, look at Walker."

Maddie had to look twice to see Walker. The warden's face was captured in an "o" position and it looked like an ecto-ball was exploding in his hands.

"I call it, 'frozen ecto-cone'." Phantom phased through the side of the Speeder. "Onward, Tuck!"

"Aye-aye, captain!" Tucker gave a mock salute while driving the Speeder out of the jail. He sat down in the chair. "How'd things go exactly?"

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Sam asked, rummaging around in an overhead bin so her face was hidden.

"Well, it took a while escaping my folks," Tucker explained. "You guys were missing so they didn't want to let me out."

"How'd you get out then?" Maddie inquired.

"It's night," Tucker said simply. "And there's a pipe next to my window so I slid down."

'_Funny. He never struck me as the athletic type._' Maddie frowned. '_And why does this seem like he's done it countless times before?_'

"Did you have any trouble finding us?" Sam knelt down by Phantom, a first-aid kit in her hands.

"Does being delayed by the Box Ghost count as trouble?" Tucker sounded sheepish.

"The _Box_ Ghost?" Phantom repeated, an amused glint in his eye.

"Hey, the stupid scanner kept pointing to him!" Tucker defended himself. "I thought maybe he had kidnapped you after all!"

"One word, Tuck: boxes," Phantom said, grinning. "Besides, kidnapping us is too ingenious a plan for the Box Ghost to think up." He shook his head, still grinning.

"Let me look at your arm," Sam said to Phantom.

"Why?" Phantom held it away from her. "It's fine!"

"It's bleeding," Sam said firmly. "How'd you get that nasty cut anyway?"

Phantom didn't reply but let Sam have his arm. Maddie watched, intrigued, as he kept his eyes averted, a slight flush on his cheeks. For her part, Sam was only focusing on the back of his arm, presumably where the cut was. But Maddie could also see a pink tinge that normally wasn't there.

She wasn't the only one observing the two's behavior.

"Why are you two blushing?" Tucker had also noticed.

"We're not blushing!" was the instant reply.

"Isn't that called blushing when your faces are red?" Tucker was grinning. "You two are _such_ lovebirds."

"We're not lovebirds!" they both snapped.

Maddie instantly noticed how much it sounded like her son and Sam. A quick glance to Jack showed he had also noticed it and was looking confused.

"Sure you're not." Tucker was still grinning as he drove the Speeder through the Ghost Zone.

"Besides," Maddie heard Sam murmur, "it was just a kiss."

"Aha!" Tucker whirled around in his chair, eyes shining. "I _knew_ it!"

' _"Just a kiss"?_' Maddie raised an eyebrow. '_When is that ever innocent?_'

"So," Tucker went on, "when did you two get together?"

"We're not together, Tuck," Phantom protested.

"Then why did you kiss?" Tucker prodded.

"Hang on," Jack whispered to her. "I thought he was trying to get Danny and Sam together."

"So did I," Maddie whispered back, puzzled. Then she realized what he had said. "You noticed?"

"Sure." Jack put a finger to his lips. "Let's listen."

"It was just a peck on the cheek!" Sam was blushing scarlet.

"And why?"

"You're not letting this go, are you?" Phantom accused.

"Nope." Tucker waited expectantly.

"It was a spur of the moment thing," Phantom admitted.

"How is a peck spur of the moment?"

"Uh, sh-she was about to, er, go hide while I confronted Walker," Phantom stammered.

'_He sounds like a normal teenage boy,_' Maddie realized. '_How can that be? He's a __**ghost**__._'

"Drop it, Tuck," Sam ordered. "It was nothing special."

"Riiight." But the boy let it drop and returned to driving. Maddie did hear him mutter, "I'm still talking 'bout it, though, the moment they're out of earshot."

' "_They're"? He's not talking about us, is he?_' Maddie thought about that for a moment. '_Well, if he doesn't want us to listen to him teasing those two, I guess it's reasonable. But still…when did he become such good friends with Phantom? What happened to Danny?_'

It was so confusing to Maddie. Why was Tucker teasing Phantom and Sam when he normally chose to tease Danny about his crush on Sam? Why were they all so familiar with each other? And why did Phantom destroy all their theories when it came to ghosts? Who _was_ he anyway?

All these thoughts occupied her mind during the trip back. Before she knew it, they were home.

"We're back!" Tucker announced.

Maddie looked up to see the swirly greens of the Ghost Zone replaced by the normal lighting of their lab at home. Of course, that raised the question of how he knew the way back so well. But if the two went ghost hunting with Phantom as often as she guessed they did, it would come naturally to the two to navigate their way through the Ghost Zone. Somehow, nothing surprised her anymore.

"Thanks a lot, Tuck, for making it," Phantom said. "I don't know how our plan would've worked if you hadn't shown up."

"You had a whole plan revolving around me showing up?" Tucker asked.

Phantom and Sam nodded.

"Wow. That's a real confidence booster," Tucker said. "Seriously."

Sam nudged Phantom. "What about your Plan B? What was it?"

Phantom seemed nervous. "Um, it's over, right? Let's not talk about it."

"I'm curious, too!" Jack said.

Phantom looked taken aback.

"Come on!" Sam pleaded. "Besides, if I don't like it, it means I can chew you out about it without the pressure of ghosts attacking us!"

"Joy," Phantom muttered.

Now Maddie had to admit she was curious, too, about Phantom's mysterious Plan B. Therefore, she added her own two-cents. "Well?"

Phantom sighed, realizing he was outnumbered. "Well, if Tucker hadn't shown up I would've had to do something different."

"Which is what?" Sam egged him.

The words came out in a rush. "Take you out of Walker's prison and go back to detain them so Tucker could have more time to come." Phantom winced, expecting an outburst.

Sam took a breath; Maddie mentally prepared herself for the storm; Jack seemed to draw in a bit more as if to shield himself; and Tucker had his PDA out, peeking up cautiously.

"I knew it!" Sam cried. "It was one of your stupid self-sacrificing plans! Have you ever thought about what _I_ think about them? They scare me! I don't know what's going on with you and—"

Tucker cut her off before she could go on ranting. "Er, as much as I would like to hear you chew Danny out about his stupid plan, my parents are gonna freak if they see me out of bed. Yours are freaking already, Sam."

Sam groaned. "Crud. My mom's gonna go to pieces when she sees me. I'll probably be grounded for something that wasn't even my fault in the first place."

"Danny!" Maddie called.

Phantom turned. "Yeah?"

"Not you! Danny Fenton!" Why wasn't he answering?

"He's…here," Tucker said cautiously, sharing a look with Phantom. Maddie saw Phantom bite his lip.

"You two go on home," Jack said to the two teens. "Tell your mom I'll put in a word, Sam."

"She is so going to go for that." With those reassuring words in the air, Sam gave Phantom one last look connected with a quick glance to the ghost hunters. After that, she made her way out of the lab to go home.

Immediately afterwards, a cry came from upstairs. "Sam? Are Mom and Dad home?" There was a short pause. "Mom? Dad? Are you okay?"

"In the lab, sweetie!" Maddie's heart lifted with relief on hearing her daughter's voice. But where was Danny? "We're all fine!"

"Do you have fudge?" Jack bounded out of the lab. "I'm starved!"

Tucker sidled over to Phantom and Maddie had to crane her ears to hear his words. "Good luck, dude."

She also saw Phantom give a barely perceptible nod and watch Tucker go up the stairs.

Taking another breath, she called more urgently this time. "_Danny_!"

"He's fine," Phantom assured her, looking up at the ceiling. "He's probably asleep right now. It's nighttime."

"I'll answer that for myself, thank you," Maddie said hotly, her hand creeping out for an ecto-gun.

"You're really going to attack me?" Phantom asked wearily. "Even after everything you've learned about me?"

Maddie's hand froze in the action of grabbing the weapon. "You're still a ghost." Even to her ears, the excuse sounded feeble.

Phantom shrugged, smiling. His arms were folded over his chest. "Not much difference with a human to us ghosts. How can I trust you?" Maddie was about to reply when he went on, "But I still do. I know that not all humans are bad. Who am I to compare you with Adolf Hitler? But that's what you're doing with all of us ghosts. Just because one ghost is bad doesn't mean that we're all bad. Some just want to be left alone while others are trying to be good. See before attacking next time, Maddie."

"Can ghosts feel?" The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Phantom looked startled for a moment before regaining his composure. "Why not? You humans feel."

"Can ghosts…love?" Even as she was saying it, her rational, scientific mind was screaming, '_He's a ghost! Ghosts can't feel! They can't love! What are you thinking?_'

This time, Phantom's hands dropped to his side as he contemplated her words. "That's something you have to find out yourself." He smiled and floated up off the ground; his form started fading as he grew closer to the ceiling. "See you around, Maddie."

Before Maddie could say anything else, he had vanished. She stared at the spot for a moment before sitting down in a chair that was conveniently located right by her side. Remaining in thought for a moment, Maddie then smiled.

Who cared if he was a ghost in love with a human? The fact of the matter was, maybe Phantom was right when he said that not all ghosts were bad. Comparing her race with Adolf Hitler had smarted but he was right by saying that humans couldn't be trusted from a ghost's perspective. It looked like the two species weren't so far apart after all.

What _did_ hurt, though, was how Danny would react upon finding out that Sam was in love with Phantom. But even then, something inside her seemed to contradict that small notion. How did those two get to be so familiar with Phantom anyway? It all seemed to add up to something that she couldn't find out yet. Maybe the pieces of the puzzle would come together later but for right now, she wasn't going to bother.

"Mom?" Jazz came over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yes, sweetie," Maddie answered, smiling up at her seventeen-year-old daughter.

"Mom?" Danny Fenton was now peeking in. He seemed to be rather tired even though he was supposed to have been sleeping; there were bags under his eyes. "Nice to have you back."

Who cared if a ghost was in love with a human? What had first seemed impossible now seemed possible. It looked like ghostly love wasn't wrong after all.

* * *

**There won't be a sequel to this as it is FINISHED. I had a ton of fun writing this and I would like to thank _Cordria_ for reading this through and you guys for sticking with me. Thanks a bunch!**

**Thanks to _Garnet Sky, Invader Johnny, GeekGirl2, FantomoDrako, Hyperpegasi, phantom girl15, DannySamLover20, Thunderstorm101, Thoughts-of-Nothingness, CatalystOfTheSoul, _and _Amazing Bluie _for reviewing! And thanks to everyone else who favorited and story alerted this fic. They really make my day! :)**

_**Invader Johnny**_**: **Actually, I hadn't noticed that at all. But maybe that's only because you can't really see what the other two are up to seeing as how it's from Maddie's perspective. You know that Jack is competent when it comes to protecting his family and Sam's competent since she hunts with Danny but we've only seen Maddie fight in that tent of Freakshow's. Therefore it's logical to say that she isn't used to fighting so many ghosts without proper weapons.

**Stats: **_Pages_: 39; _Word Count (excluding author's notes)_: 11,845.


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